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Honda CBR650F set to be launched in India by 2016

Unanimous surprise was the result when Japanese bike maker Honda made an announcement regarding the launch of CBR650F in India as a locally assembled vehicle. This news, which reached everyone at the 2014 Auto Expo in February, was indeed surprising since no model from Honda comes via the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit route.

Albeit the four wheeler division does take this route for Honda Accord and CR-V models, there had never been a previous suggestion regarding a bike in the same way. At present, most of the bikes in the portfolio of Honda Scooter and Motorcycle India are manufactured locally while the superbikes are brought to India via the Completely Built Unit (CBU) route.

This change of plans, according to sources, is a calculated and strategic move by Honda with the aim of expanding its reach in India, completely capturing the super bike segment. Not only will this bike be brought to India via the CKD route, some parts are going to be purchased from local vendors, which, quite logically, will help Honda to price the CBR650F aggressively.

Honda CBR650F

Industry experts claim that this Honda CBR650F is expected to compete with Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Z800. Should all this be materialised, this model will become the cheapest four-cylinder bike in the country. According to reports, the on-road price of Honda CBR650F is expected to be around INR 7 lakh. Also, the launch is slated to take place in early 2016, possibly before March, and only one variant, with Anti-lock Braking as standard, is expected to be introduced.

Honda CBR650F is fitted with a four-cylinder engine that has a capacity of 649 cc and is capable of generating an output of 86 BHP along with top torque of 63 Nm. The front rear tyres of this bike are wide 120 and 180 section, respectively. According to company claims, the model can reach 100 kmph from scratch under four seconds and it will deliver a fuel economy of up to 21 kmpl.

This mean Honda machine, which weighs 208 kilograms, is expected to clock a maximum speed of 225 kmph. Honda is not new to the entire business of launching superbikes in India as it was the first to introduce a 250 cc model in the country. Industry experts are of the opinion that Honda CBR650F has the potential to do really well in India and push the firm’s case in the middle-weight segment. Therefore, should this model be successful in India, bike aficionados could actually see the introduction of Honda MT-07 in a few years’ time.

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